Distance-instrument



(No Model.)

II. SCHNEIDER.

DISTANCE. INSTRUMENT.

No. 367,667. Patented July 26, 1887.

I Invldvr UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

KARL SCHNEIDER, OE JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

DISTANCE-INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.3 6'7,0 67, dated July 26, 1887.

Application tiled December 14,1885. Serial No. 185,565. (No modrl.)

To all 1071.077@ it may concern..-

Be it known that l, KARL SCHNEIDER, of Jersey City, in thecounty of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement for Measuring-Instruments, of which the following is a speciication.

.lhe object of my improvementis to provide a s imple instrument whereby the distance of objects may be easily ascertained. Y

I will describe in detail a measuringinstrument embodying my improvement, and then vpoint out the novel features in a claim.

- sponding parts in all the figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a tripod or stand, which may be of any suitable constructionA On it is mounted a pillar, B, which may be made of any appropriate metal. In the upper end of` this pillar is a seat for a ball, C, forming part of a pedestal, C. The seat in the pillar corresponds to the part of the ballwhich it accommodates; hence the pedestal and pillar are connected by a ball-and-soeket joint. The pedestal may consequently be adjusted at any angle to the pillar, and may also be rotated relatively to the pillar; The upper end ofthe pillar is provided with a ring, B,'which surrounds the upper part of the ball C and screws into the pillar. This ring can be manipulated so as to clamp the ball for the purpose of securing the pedestal in any position into which it may be ad justed. In order to get the ring over the ball C,thc pedestal is made in two seetions,secured together by a screw, C2.

D designates aframe consisting oftwo arms, d' d2, and cross-pieces d3 di. The arm dis affixed to the pedestal C. The arm d2 has an arm, E, pivotally connected to it by a screw, e, which also serves as a means whereby the arm E may be clamped in position, providing no other means are employed for that purpose.

. Thecross-piece d3 is made in the shape of an arc of a circle which is concentric with the pivot-screw e, on which the arm E is capable of swinging. Itis marked with a scale, and the armE is provided with an index, e,which will swing over the scale when the arm E is adjusted. The arm d has standardsff2 at the After the sighting is done with the arm d',

as above described, the arm E is adjusted so that the same object will be sighted with it. The arm E will preferably be adjusted by a micrometer-screw, G, supported in an oscillating bearing, h, mounted on the arm d', and

engaging with an oscillating nut, 71.2, mounted on the arm E. When the. sighting has been done, the arm E will be at an angle to the arm d. The degree of the angle of theinclination of these arms will indicate the distance of theobject sighted.

The scale on thecross-piece ai of the frame D may be made to indicate the degree of the angle between the two arms, or it may be marked so that distance may be read from it.

H designates a compass, which is arranged upon the frame D concentrically with the pedestal C. Adjacent to this compass are two spirit-levels, I I2, situated at about 'right angles to each-other, and shown as attached to` the case of the compass. These levels are useful, because they provide means whereby the adjustment of the frameD into a true horizontal plane may be readily ascertained.

The compass is useful, because it provides for adjusting the frame D while in a horizontal plane into any desired relation with a ocrtain point of the compass-as, for instance, the j relation of an object whosedistance is to be measured, but which is not clearly in View, and consequently difficult to iind, may be cited by means of adjusting the frameDatacertain angle to an object which is more clearly discernible and whose relation to the objectless easily discerned is known.

The needle of the compass is supported or- IOO dinarily upon an upright pin7 i, that is arranged Within the pedestal C so as to be capable of adjustment lengthwisethereof'A The pin is supported upon a shaft, i', that extends transversely through the pedestal C', and is provided at one end with a liandle,wliereby it may be turned, and in the middle with a groove forming an eccentric or cam surface. The rod i rests upon the eceentrie or cam surface of the shaft t; consequently by rotating the shaft i the rod may be raised or lowered. When it is raised,it will support the compass needle; but when it is lowereditwillallowthe compass-needle to descend upon a hub-like seat, iwhieh is formed upon the bottom ofthe eompasscase7 and then the needle will no longer vibrate. This is advantageous,because, after the frame D has once been set with reference to the compass, it is undesirable that there should be any vibration ofthe needle.

My improvement may bc usedin a survey ors level or leveling-rod or in a surveyors transit.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isdk The combination ofa frame comprising an arm provided with sighting instrumentalities. a support with which the frame is connected by a universal joint below the said arm, a com* pass arranged above the support and arm and concentric with the universal joint, acompassneedle, a vertieallymiovable pin upon which said needle is supported, a shaft by which said pin is supported, an eccentric or cam surface on said shaft,upon which said rod rests, and a handle for turning,` said shaft, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

KARL SCHNEIDER.

Witnesses: v

EDWIN H. BROWN, J lmins D. GnIsWoLD. 

